Directed by:
Peter SegalScreenplay:
David DorfmanCinematography:
Donald McAlpineComposer:
Teddy CastellucciCast:
Adam Sandler, Jack Nicholson, Marisa Tomei, Jonathan Loughran, Kurt Fuller, January Jones, Lynne Thigpen, Kevin Nealon, Allen Covert, Lori Heuring (more)VOD (4)
Plots(1)
After a misunderstanding aboard an airplane that escalates out of control, the mild-mannered Dave Buznik is ordered by Judge Daniels to attend anger management sessions run by Doctor Buddy Rydell, which are filled with highly eccentric and volatile men and women. Buddy's unorthodox approach to therapy is confrontational and abrasive and Dave is bewildered by it. Then, after yet another mishap, Judge Daniels orders Dave to step up his therapy or wind up in jail. So, Buddy moves in with Dave to help him battle his inner demons. Buddy himself has no inner demons since he acts out at every opportunity and that includes making lewd comments about Dave's girlfriend Linda and goading Dave into confronting every slight, past or present, head-on. But Buddy finally goes too far and Dave must decide whether to crawl back into his shell or stand up for himself. Could it be that Buddy's confounding and contradictory treatment is just what the doctor ordered? (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Reviews (4)
If not for its great cast, Anger Management would be just another moronic Hollywood comedy that goes everywhere except where it finally ends up. The screenplay and directing are definitely not its strong points. However, the actors in both the lead and supporting roles save it and pull it out of mediocrity. It may not be the restrained and elegant entertainment that we would expect from a film starring Jack Nicholson, but it’s a very entertaining treat that we wouldn’t expect from an Adam Sandler movie.
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For a Sandler film, it is surprisingly bearable, not so stupid, and even truly funny in places. The credit for this goes not to Sandler, but mainly to the great Nicholson. The attempt at a plot with a twist is awkward, but overall it is a watchable and solid unpretentious film.
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As easygoing entertainment, it’s fine, but very disappointing given the stellar cast and the otherwise capable Peter Segal. I like Sandler a lot and I think he's a good actor when someone makes him act, and I adore Nicholson, he's the best actor ever for me, but things didn't quite come together here. Both are supposed to play to their standard, and they do, but the stupid script, including the creepy twist, knocks their entertaining performance into the realm of annoying self-parody (especially in Nicholson's case). What's more, there's an absence of imaginative dialogue humour, which is supplanted by silly emotional outbursts or cheesy slapstick, however excellent is the fight with the pious J.C. Reilly, for instance. It’s okay to watch once and a decent 3*.
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There are great moments and great characters here, which were played absolutely perfectly. Jack Nicholson, Woody Harrelson, Luis Guzmán, and of course John Torturro are just a short list of interesting acting performances. However, the overall story doesn't work very well and in the end, it's kind of strange and hard to believe. But it's worth watching because of those characters.
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